Matemwe Village Tour

Zanzibar village tour: Matemwe

This tour takes you to Matemwe village, one of the most untouched by mass tourism in Zanzibar. You get to meet locals, learn about their livelihoods, visit a school or health center (upon availability of course). Tour includes donations and a local lunch.

All about Matemwe Village Tour

The village tours starts from the beach (depending on the tide), where you will meet the seaweed farmers. These women work in the sea shore every day, harvesting seaweed for European and Asian markets. You will learn about the farming and have a chance to try it out yourself!

After the beach, you will get to know the inside of Matemwe village. There are two visits to women making local handicrafts and a possibility to try it out yourself and to buy the products of the women cooperative. You will also see the mosque and learn about the village life.

There are some 900 students from Matemwe and the neighbouring villages, from ages 7 to 16. If it’s a school day, we can visit the school. There will be a donation minimun of 10 000 tsh made for the school, and it’s included in the tour price. Of course you can donate more if you wish.

You can also choose visiting Matemwe health center or a nursery school project. For refreshment, there is a swahili style lunch at a local home/NGO.

All the villagers included in the tour will receive a fee for their service, which will be given to a cooperative whenever it’s a possibility. This tour will let you know the real Zanzibari village life, and also gives an opportunity for the villagers to get to know you and also to boost their incomes. This way it is beneficial for everyone and will make the gap between travellers and locals smaller.

Private Matemwe Village Tour

We can include a fair priced transfer from anywhere in Zanzibar, just send us the info after booking or inquire prices beforehand. You can also spend the remaining of the day at the Matemwe beach, or go snorkeling at Mnemba.

Matemwe Village Tour prices

What is included

Local guide from the village, donations to visited places (schools, local clinic etc.), local lunch. A car ride from a nearby hotel can be arranged for a small extra payment. Remember to mention if you need transfers from other parts of Zanzibar.

Useful information

Wear easily removable shoes or rubber shoes for walking in the sea. Protection from the sun – sun lotion, a hat or a scarf, sun glasses can be useful. Dress modestly for the village. And remember, this is a walking tour!

We usually start at 9:00, but you can also choose another time.

Responsible Zanzibar village tour

This tour has been planned together with the local community representatives. The guide of the tour is a local resident who truly knows the village. We include donations and fair compensation to all included in the tour.

Ask about Matemwe Village Tour

Not ready to book & pay your Matemwe excursion online? Send us an inquiry and we will get back to you as soon as possible.